Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
A northern advocacy group, the Northern Elders Support Group, has accused Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, of losing focus on governance and security as violent crimes and banditry continue to ravage communities across the state.
The group said growing public frustration trails the Lawal administration, alleging that the governor is more preoccupied with political battles than addressing the worsening insecurity that has displaced families, disrupted livelihoods and crippled economic activities in Zamfara.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Acting Chairman, Hon. Yusuf Abubakar, the group criticised the governor for what it described as “unnecessary political confrontations” with the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government and some key ministers, particularly those it claimed were recording visible achievements.
According to the group, the majority of Zamfara residents are deeply dissatisfied with the state of security and are demanding decisive action, not political grandstanding.
“What the people urgently want is peace and safety. There is a clear expectation that the governor should concentrate on securing Zamfara and restoring public confidence,” the statement said.
The group, however, lamented that Governor Lawal appeared more engaged in policy disputes and political mischief than in coordinating an effective response to banditry and violent crime.
Using a metaphor to underscore its position, the group likened the situation to “a leader who sends away his own child and then claims to be acting in the family’s interest,” arguing that such conduct amounted to a betrayal of responsibility and misplaced priorities.
The Northern Elders Support Group further accused the governor of fuelling political tension in the North through confrontations that undermine unity, stressing that cooperation between state and federal authorities was critical at a time when insecurity demands collective action.
It urged Governor Lawal to stop attacking federal ministers and political opponents, including former governor Bello Matawalle, and instead focus on delivering tangible results in security, governance and development for the people of Zamfara.
